The Gearbox Software Community Portal announces that development of Borderlands 2 is complete, and the role-playing shooter sequel is off to certification for approval for release. This includes word that they've moved on to production on the Mechromancer content that will be released as free DLC for Premiere Club members, saying this should come roughly 60-90 days after the release of the game itself, which is still almost two months off:

Today, we have some exciting new to share about Borderlands 2 -- the game is headed to certification!

This means that the game’s on-disc content has been locked down and will be thoroughly tested to ensure it is ready for release -– in other words, the game is finished and we cannot make any further changes to the game. As such, the team is now shifting their focus towards post-launch efforts, including the Mechromancer: the new character class that will be released as FREE downloadable content to members of the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club roughly 60 to 90 days after launch.

The Mechromancer is just one of the many bonuses for members of the Premiere Club, which can be joined by pre-ordering Borderlands 2 from a participating retailer in advance of its release on September 18 in North America and September 21 Internationally. For a list of those participating retailers and more details about Premiere Club benefits, please visit our Borderlands 2 FAQ and borderlands2.com/preorder

On behalf of everyone involved in the development of Borderlands 2, thank you for your love and support -- your passion for what we create is what fuels our effort!

Frijoles wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 12:00:My thoughts exactly. On the other hand, if the game is locked down, can DLC still be added to it before launch? Maybe locked code doesn't count DLC.

No, you can't add anything without restarting the certification process. You have to pay a sizeable amount to submit for certification each time.

You can put the data on the disc if it's done by the time it needs to go to gold master, but it can't be integrated into the game. Essentially like putting a copy of what you'd download through a patch on the disc.

SimplyMonk wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 18:15:Normally, I am the master of patience. Still waiting for Skyrim to hit the $5 I paid for Oblivion plus all of its DLC. My patience, in this case, lost out to me getting a loot chest.

Based on the popularity of skyrim, how long its taken to get any DLC (remember how they rushed a bunch of silly DLC like horse armor in oblivions?) and how long they've taken to even put it on a 33% sale on steam, let alone finally doing a 50% for this sale...

I'm going to predict 2+ years from release until it hits $5 for the GotY edition.

Anyway, what loot chest are you referring to?

Edit: Oh, the whole golden key thing from the poster linked after me?It also includes an exclusive item that essentially boosts "magic find"

That's about what it was for Borderlands 1. You had about a full years worth of DLC releases. There is also the option of buying the game (or buying it on discount) and then picking the DLCs up on discount every 6 months.

ochentay4 wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 15:20:Here it goes:1. They plan to release a new class for few people after launch (probably 2hrs later not 60 days...) despite being on paper/planned (and/or probably being on disk) before release. Its like From Ashes from Bioware (they gave it free on Digital Deluxe or Collectors Ed, I dont remember) clearly cut from the main game.

2. They announced that they are working on future DLC instead of polising remainging bugs (we all know this game will have many at release date) and/or rewarding Day 1 players with more suculent content. If DLC is planned, all Day 1 copies should include coupon so they end up with at least 2 fre DLC instead of crying why people who buy the game at later date, pay 5 bucks, get the whole game/all DLC. Those "Premiere Club" DLC are clearly CUY OUT FROM THE GAME.

Not going to respond to all your points, but if you're going to speculate might as well come up with some good speculation. Let me try...

They plan to release a new class for few people after launch (probably instead they'll come find my mother and sleep with her).

See? That's way more interesting and based on just as much evidence.

You're also assuming they don't have a team working on other bugs. They may not, but claiming they don't is pure speculation as well.

SimplyMonk wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 18:15:Normally, I am the master of patience. Still waiting for Skyrim to hit the $5 I paid for Oblivion plus all of its DLC. My patience, in this case, lost out to me getting a loot chest.

Based on the popularity of skyrim, how long its taken to get any DLC (remember how they rushed a bunch of silly DLC like horse armor in oblivions?) and how long they've taken to even put it on a 33% sale on steam, let alone finally doing a 50% for this sale...

I'm going to predict 2+ years from release until it hits $5 for the GotY edition.

Anyway, what loot chest are you referring to?

Edit: Oh, the whole golden key thing from the poster linked after me?It also includes an exclusive item that essentially boosts "magic find"

That's the magic word. You get so much good stuff on these Steam sales for $5-$10 it is unbelievable. If you want the game on day1 when it is released then1. you pay the highest price for the game2. you have to suffer through the bugs and game breaking stuff3. you end up being all pissed off when they release DLC for the game4. you end up all pissed off when they release the GOTY of the game for half of what you have paid for the base game5. you become even more pissed when the GOTY goes on sale for $5 a few months later.

So just wait it out, you get so much more value for your money, if you don't jump the gun and preorder games or get them day1.

Normally, I am the master of patience. Still waiting for Skyrim to hit the $5 I paid for Oblivion plus all of its DLC. My patience, in this case, lost out to me getting a loot chest.

ochentay4 wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 15:20:Here it goes:1. They plan to release a new class for few people after launch (probably 2hrs later not 60 days...) despite being on paper/planned (and/or probably being on disk) before release. Its like From Ashes from Bioware (they gave it free on Digital Deluxe or Collectors Ed, I dont remember) clearly cut from the main game.

2. They announced that they are working on future DLC instead of polising remainging bugs (we all know this game will have many at release date) and/or rewarding Day 1 players with more suculent content. If DLC is planned, all Day 1 copies should include coupon so they end up with at least 2 fre DLC instead of crying why people who buy the game at later date, pay 5 bucks, get the whole game/all DLC. Those "Premiere Club" DLC are clearly CUY OUT FROM THE GAME.

Not going to respond to all your points, but if you're going to speculate might as well come up with some good speculation. Let me try...

They plan to release a new class for few people after launch (probably instead they'll come find my mother and sleep with her).

See? That's way more interesting and based on just as much evidence.

You're also assuming they don't have a team working on other bugs. They may not, but claiming they don't is pure speculation as well.

ochentay4 wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 12:54:This is fantastic... On the old days thet would release that unfinished class to E V E R Y O N E on a later PATCH. YES. A PATCH. NOT DLC. A PATCH.

Dont forget everyone who likes this game will get RAPED by PAID DLC. I will not make the same mistake with Borderlands 1. I will buy the game a year and a half later as a GOTY for 5 bucks with all DLC.

I'll never ever ever ever buy a game at launcha again. NEVER. PERIOD.

EDIT: Of course they announced on Twitter they just began making DLC!!!! Why not fixing the bugs that slipped through gold (of couse they game will have bugs, remember Borderlands 1? It still needs an external config tool made by people to improve the game) Of course they can make further changes to the game!!!!!!!!!!!!

EPIC RANT hahahahahaha

I also miss the old days when new content (not just fixes) came in patches... Companies of old, were so damn happy you bought their game, they wanted to keep you as a customer (even when they weren't getting much extra from it)...

As for being 'raped' by DLC... Not so much... DLC is optional (for me), so if I pick it up (and that's very likely - I enjoyed all the non-arena DLC for Borderlands), it'll be at $3 each, or less... Just like I did with Dead Island's Ryder White this last week... Which was worth $3, but not much more ; )

As for fixing bugs... I didn't really take 'being done' meaning that won't happen, though their wording sucks... And the lack of support for Borderlands sucks more... I don't need what the config app adds, but I do appreciate the options, and the fact that they never fixed this shit (including font sizes for extra 'affix' guns, and not being able to hover over the sniper weapon level bar) is disgusting...

I'll still throw my money at them, near launch (shortly before for the inevitable discount & 'VIP' shit), but having just stopped playing a session of the first, which clocks me in on steam at 238, I can't imagine not getting my money's worth.

Rattlehead wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 16:31:It's still not up for preorder on Steam...what gives?

Its 2 months off, and they are talking about finishing development, not going gold and in duplication. There's likely work remaining to be done, such as some final localization, finalizing packaging, etc.

This is why many companies wait to announce until its gold, they've coordinated schedules with marketing to make sure its all setup so people can preorder when they see announcements like this. Marketing doesn't want to do anything to impede that first rush of pre-orders, and someone who wants to pre-order with an announcer like that and can't might decide to just not pre-order at all. Its also probable that they wanted a pre-order big announcement on steam, AFTER the summer sale was completed so it could get more steam front page coverage.

Gearbox has jumped the gun with this "completed development" announcement, which while its more transparent, also confuses some people when its not coordinated like they've come to expect with AAA titles.

That's the magic word. You get so much good stuff on these Steam sales for $5-$10 it is unbelievable. If you want the game on day1 when it is released then1. you pay the highest price for the game2. you have to suffer through the bugs and game breaking stuff3. you end up being all pissed off when they release DLC for the game4. you end up all pissed off when they release the GOTY of the game for half of what you have paid for the base game5. you become even more pissed when the GOTY goes on sale for $5 a few months later.

By the end of your post I was laughing out loud. No wonder gamers are such a pissy lot - things just keep pissing us off!

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi

That's the magic word. You get so much good stuff on these Steam sales for $5-$10 it is unbelievable. If you want the game on day1 when it is released then1. you pay the highest price for the game2. you have to suffer through the bugs and game breaking stuff3. you end up being all pissed off when they release DLC for the game4. you end up all pissed off when they release the GOTY of the game for half of what you have paid for the base game5. you become even more pissed when the GOTY goes on sale for $5 a few months later.

So just wait it out, you get so much more value for your money, if you don't jump the gun and preorder games or get them day1.

The DLC complaint concerning the first one is definitely valid - they definitely had the milk machine working overtime. But the fix for that is simply patience - after 6 months a "Game of the Year" edition is invariably released (Just how many GOTY's can there actually be in one year anyway???), and a month or two after that the whole thing is massively discounted on the different digital download services. You end up paying way less for the DLC when it's packaged with the full game. An imperfect solution true but it works out pretty well for me generally. I play the game through once and then about a year later I can go through it again with lots of fresh new content after I buy the complete edition.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi

ochentay4 wrote on Jul 20, 2012, 12:54:This is fantastic... On the old days thet would release that unfinished class to E V E R Y O N E on a later PATCH. YES. A PATCH. NOT DLC. A PATCH.

Dont forget everyone who likes this game will get RAPED by PAID DLC. I will not make the same mistake with Borderlands 1. I will buy the game a year and a half later as a GOTY for 5 bucks with all DLC.

I'll never ever ever ever buy a game at launcha again. NEVER. PERIOD.

EDIT: Of course they announced on Twitter they just began making DLC!!!! Why not fixing the bugs that slipped through gold (of couse they game will have bugs, remember Borderlands 1? It still needs an external config tool made by people to improve the game) Of course they can make further changes to the game!!!!!!!!!!!!

EPIC RANT hahahahahaha

The paid DLC for Borderlands 1 was a pretty good deal. Moxie's underdome was weak, but General Knox and Claptrap's Robot revolution gave you about 10 hours of extra gameplay each.

Pretty good deal? 10 bucks for each DLC? 40 bucks for DLC? Are you mad? I've got DAYS of fun playing Witcher series that cost half of those 4 DLC. I cant stress enough how important GOG.com/CD Projekt RED are for the industry and PC gamers. They are an example to follow for multiple reasons. Thet still make lots of money. Their games still sells like hotcakes, are really cheap, and they have added more content to their games for free than any company developer I know in recent times.

And please dont get me started with "certification" on PC.

The fact that Microsoft and its business model damages the industry in the long run is terrible.

Look at FEZ developers. They cant release a patch cause it costs A LOT of money to "certificate" it on the 360.

Look at Valve and its games: Team Fortress 2, L4D1/2, Portal2. They cant bring the same level of commitment on the 360.

Whooooa rant of the week I guess! hahaha time to spend more time playing Witcher 2!

You clearly have no clue what you are talking about. Borderlands 2 isn't using games for windows live. Borderlands 1 didn't use games for windows live. There was no certification process, there were no delayed patches.

All the Borderlands 1 DLCs were created post-release. They were well written, fully voice acted, fully fleshed out, and fairly entertaining. It was actually a great example of how to do DLC right. There was a significant amount of content there, General Knox+Clap Trap was argueably the best part of the game.

You Witcher comments are completely irrelevant here. Using your logic could say for $5 Dungeons a Dredmor is still fun a full year after release, therefore Witcher must suck. Sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it?

There are legitimate criticisms to be raised about Borderlands 1, for example the way they handled FOV, the menus not using the mouse properly, and the always on voice you had to disable. Instead of mentioning any of those, you scream about how GFWL is ruining gaming despite the fact that Borderlands doesn't use it. You complain about certification patch delays which never affected the PC version of Borderlands.

Just ranting about random things that are completely irrelevant makes you seem like a crazed idiot. Try to organize your thoughts. Think about what is relevant and what is a random rant.

Organizing thoughts? Yep you are right.

Here it goes:1. They plan to release a new class for few people after launch (probably 2hrs later not 60 days...) despite being on paper/planned (and/or probably being on disk) before release. Its like From Ashes from Bioware (they gave it free on Digital Deluxe or Collectors Ed, I dont remember) clearly cut from the main game.

2. They announced that they are working on future DLC instead of polising remainging bugs (we all know this game will have many at release date) and/or rewarding Day 1 players with more suculent content. If DLC is planned, all Day 1 copies should include coupon so they end up with at least 2 fre DLC instead of crying why people who buy the game at later date, pay 5 bucks, get the whole game/all DLC. Those "Premiere Club" DLC are clearly CUY OUT FROM THE GAME.

3. After the success of Borderlands 1, they'll make A LOT of DLC, some of them really overpriced. And since DLC has no DEMOS... if people dont read reviews they'll get robbed with overpriced "Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot" alike DLC.

4. Despite the success that Bordelands 1 had on PC, you still have to use an external cofing tool made by people outside Gearbox to make the game usable, like yuo said: FOV, Mouse, Menus. They should at least patch the damn game before getting out Borderlands 2.

6. I mentioned G4WL as it similar business model like the Live service on the 360. It uses the same model (Paid DLC: BioShock 2, Fallout 3), its terrible (a lot of technicals problems, like gamesaves and patch delivery) but also its a kind of DRM. Not to mention its the worst distribution system EVER made.

7. I mentioned Witcher series as the games not only were the bang for the buck at release price (days, not hours of fun gaming), but because free content was added for FREE, even years later and GOG.com/CD Project RED still make A LOT of money selling the damned games. Not to mention they are DRM FREE and they have polished the games till they shine in the dark. Borderlands 1, to this date, has unthinkable issues on PC.

8. PC "Certification" doesnt or shouldnt exist (I want to believe Microsoft doesnt charge for patches on G4WL). So fixing the games or adding Free content should not be expensive and fixing bugs shouldnt be a task for titans.

8. Borderlands 1 has, on top of Steam DRM, securom DRM on some DLC, which is hilarous, since Steam is already a DRM form and people had problems activating DLC. DRM FOR DLC: C'MON!!!

9. FEZ developers should have known that dealing with Microsoft could have problems. The main problem is Developers PAY for patches, CERTIFICATION in made and approved by Microsoft, and despite that, they released a patch with gamesaves corruption that should've flashed on certification process, now FEZ developers have to PAY again for the same patch with the fix. Ridiculous. Atrocious.

I didn't put too much time into the first game but the reason for that is because I keep loosing interest in playing it. It feels like grinding for some reason. Maybe it is just the beginning of the game and later on it will get better, not sure. The first missions so far were really boring.

Anyway, I can't wait. I loved Borderlands, though like others I was more than a little put off by how, despite claiming differently prior to release, the PC port was still so unoptimized. A small thing though; I enjoyed the rest of the game too much to go beyond mild disappointment. Borderlands 2 reportedly fixes all that, so all I need to do now is sit back and wait until release, hoping that it isn't broken and unfinished at launch.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi